Awards, Faculty and Staff

Mangum Receives Hancock Memorial Award

Darryl Mangum, a UNC-Chapel Hill School of Dentistry employee for more than 20 years, has been named the recipient of the Denise Hancock Memorial Award.

The School’s Department of Orthodontics established this award to honor the memory of Denise Hancock, who was a patient relations representative in orthodontics and was a School employee for almost three decades. She passed away in 2007.

The award recognizes a current or former dental assistant within the School who best exemplifies hard work, loyalty and a sense of fun – qualities representative of Hancock’s contributions to the School community.

Mangum, dental assisting supervisor for the Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) program, first joined the School in 1988 as a dental assistant. He was promoted to dental assisting supervisor 10 years ago.

“Darryl puts 110 percent into every assignment; he consistently reports for work 30 minutes to one hour early to make sure that the clinic is organized and properly set up for the day’s work,” said Dr. Frank Brantley, Jim and Isabel Harrell Sr. distinguished professor and AEGD program director. “He takes great pride in the efficiency and appearance of the AEGD clinic.”

“He genuinely cares for our patients and knows most of them by their first name,” Brantley also wrote in his nomination of Mangum. “Our patient care coordinator tells me that it is not unusual for patients to question ‘… is Darryl going to be there?’ when confirming an appointment.”

Mangum’s other honors include University “Star Heel” recognition and the UNC-Chapel Hill dental assisting class’ 2009 staff appreciation award.

Mangum was notified of the award on May 6; the honor carries a cash prize.